I hit seven years of sobriety on February 10, 2025. When I got sober, one of the first things I put on my bucket list was to get to NYC and witness the fashion world in real life. I wanted to feel the pulse of the city, to be where Halston, Studio 54 and all the great misfit creatives once came alive. I didn’t know how or when, but I knew I wanted to be in the room where style and self-expression weren’t just accepted — they were worshipped.

Now, every February — on my soberversary — I go to Fashion Week.

Part of what makes it so meaningful is my involvement with the Break Free initiative — a fashion show rooted in mental health advocacy and sobriety awareness. Being part of a runway dedicated to smashing stigma? That’s the kind of full-body yes that reminds me just how far I’ve come. I used to numb out my feelings. Now I wear them out loud. On and off the runway. In red lipstick. Stone-cold sober.

This year, I got to meet my fashion icon Patricia Field, the legendary costume designer behind “Sex and the City” and “The Devil Wears Prada.” The woman who helped us all believe that fashion isn’t just clothing — it’s identity, power and rebellion rolled into one. And standing next to her, sober and fully myself, I felt something crack open. If this is possible… what else is?

Sobriety didn’t just give me my life back. It gave me access to dreams I didn’t think I was allowed to chase.

I started saving money for travel instead of spending it on booze. I began to feel safe enough in my skin to get tattoos — not for shock value, but as an act of self-ownership. I stopped shape-shifting to fit in and started dressing, living and dreaming for me.

And NYC? It’s not just a city. It’s a mirror. Loud, bold, unapologetic. It reminds me that creativity has no expiration date and no rulebook. It reminds me that sobriety isn’t the end of fun — it’s the beginning of freedom.

If you’re early in your journey or deep in the work and wondering what’s on the other side of alcohol… I’m here to tell you: anything is.

Dream bigger.
Book the flight.
Wear the thing.
Get the tattoo.
Say the scary yes.

Because if I can go from rock bottom to Fashion Week, you can too.

Listen to the full episode of You’ve Been Selected — Sober in the City — for the full story, the laughs, the unexpected moments and why I’ll never stop showing up bold and sober in the places that once felt impossible.